BLOG

Monthly Archives September 2017

From the many encounters I have had with leaders from various parts of the world, I have noticed a remarkable aspect of today’s reality: the desire to make a difference is present in many leaders, however deeply buried. I met very, very few who, if sincerely questioned, would not find deep in their heart the aspiration to contribute to a better world. Beneath the surface, there is an unexpressed need to create more meaning, more connectedness, and more relatedness, and to help improve the lives of others. Wanting to make a difference in the world by serving humankind is probably the most widely suppressed desire in organizations and amongContinue Reading

The collective has been missing in leadership development thus far. Changing our mindset involves awareness of the underlying complex compositions and dynamics of the systems that require change and the dynamics developing in a group of collaborating actors. We need to shift from a self-centered consciousness to awareness of the larger whole. In the old paradigm, leadership focuses on the capacity of the individual who has a higher position and who needs to enlist followers in order to deliver results. Similarly, in many organizations – both in the corporate world and the public sector – dialogue and attention to high qualityContinue Reading

Over my years of working in complex collaboration projects and institutional change management I noticed that certain elements consistently shift actors into more collaborative spaces. These elements show up as personal competences which people bring in or jointly develop with their collaborators. I continued my inquiry and started to observe more closely. What was present when a cross-sector group agreed on a plan of action in an atmosphere of joint commitment? What kept a diverse group of actors together when each had to overcome hurdles in convincing their institution to collaborate? What emerged when a group of managers from competing industries patiently persisted inContinue Reading